Aloe plant ‘PURPLE HAZE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Aloe plant named ‘PURPLE HAZE’ is disclosed, characterized by upright growth habit, lavender-colored leaves with pink margins, and red flowers. The new variety is an Aloe, typically produced as a garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Aloe hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PURPLE HAZE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The seed parent is the unpatented Aloe ‘Icycle II’. The pollen parent is the unpatented Aloe parvula x Aloe ‘Viper’. The crossing was made in December 2017 at a commercial greenhouse in Vista, Calif. ‘PURPLE HAZE’ was found and selected by the inventor in January 2018 at the same greenhouse in Vista, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘PURPLE HAZE’ was first performed by tissue culture at a commercial laboratory in Vista, Calif. in February 2018. ‘PURPLE HAZE’ has since produced several generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘PURPLE HAZE’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PURPLE HAZE.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PURPLE HAZE’ as a new and distinct Aloe cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright growth habit.     -   2. Lavender colored leaves with bright pink edges.     -   3. Red flowers.     -   4. Table top size Aloe, maturing at 6″ across.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PURPLE HAZE’ are similar to the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ from the seed parent in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety produces more compact, upright rosettes than         the seed parent.     -   2. The new variety has smoother leaf edges than the seed parent.     -   3. The new variety has a frosted appearance to the leaf blade         from a glaucous layer not found on the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PURPLE HAZE’ are similar to the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has a different plant form, more uniformly         star-shaped than the pollen parent.     -   2. The new variety has a frosted appearance to the leaf blade         from a glaucous layer not found on the pollen parent.     -   3. The new variety produces more upright rosettes than the         pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘PURPLE HAZE’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Aloe ‘White Lightning’. The two Aloe varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. Plants of the new variety are larger and more open than         plants of this comparator.     -   2. The new variety has more sandpaper- textured leaves than this         comparator.     -   3. The new variety has a cleaner growth habit with better         symmetry than does this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘PURPLE HAZE’ grown in a greenhouse in Vista, Calif. This plant is approximately 24 months old, shown in a 1 gallon container. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, 2007 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘PURPLE HAZE’ plants in a commercial greenhouse in Vista, Calif. Temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 25° C. during the day, and 18° C. to 21° C. during the night. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500 to 3000 fc of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Aloe hybrid ‘PURPLE HAZE.’ -   Age of the plant described: 2 years.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 25 days at 22° C. -   Root description: Fibrous. Brown, not accurately measured with the     RHS chart. -   Propagation method: Tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright rosette, offsetting to form clumps with time. -   Container size: 6 inches. -   Height: Approximately 18 cm to top of highest leaf. Approximately 45     cm to top of highest inflorescence. -   Plant spread: Approximately 20 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Branching characteristics: Offsetting from base.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Average length.—Average 16-18 cm.         -   Average width.—Average 3-4 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Clasping.         -   Margin.—Fringed, pink-colored edge.         -   Texture of top surface.—Specks and spines.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Prickly.         -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Average 10.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple             N187B, margin near Red 43C. Young foliage under side: Near             RHS Greyed-Purple N187B, margin near Red 43D. Mature foliage             upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple N187B, margin near Red             43C. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple             N187B, margin near Red 43D.         -   Venation.—Linear. Color: Indistinguishable from leaf blade.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Rebloomer, three to four times a year. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Panicle, seldom branched. -   Rate of flower opening: Moderate, successive. -   Flower longevity on plant: 1.5 months. -   Quantity of flowers: 10 to 20. -   Total inflorescence size:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 28 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 8 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Arrangement.—Perianth cylindrical/corolla small and             reflexed.         -   Length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 1 cm at widest point.         -   Color.—Tepals: When opening: Outer surface: Near RHS Red             41A. Inner surface: Near RHS Yellow 10D. Fully opened: Outer             surface: Near RHS Red 41B. Inner surface: Near RHS Yellow             10D. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.5 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Red 41A. -   Pedicels:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 1 cm.         -   Width.—0.02 cm.         -   Aspect.—Lateral.         -   Color.—Near RHS Red 42D. -   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—6.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.         -   Filament color.—Near White N155A.         -   Anther length.—0.25 cm.         -   Anther color.—Near Yellow 8A.         -   Anther shape.—Oval.         -   Pollen color.—Near Yellow 13C. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—Approximately 3 cm.         -   Style color.—Near White N155A.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Rounded. Color: Near White N155A. Ovary             color: Near RHS Green 139D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Pods about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, colored near     Green 137D when immature, ripening to Grey-Brown N199D. Seed dust     like, colored near Grey-Brown 199C. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately 0°     to at least 35° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Shows mite resistance and black spot     resistance. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aloe plant named ‘PURPLE HAZE’ as herein illustrated and described. 